Trains & Subways | Buses | Taxis | Haneda Airport | Narita Airport

The Tokyo public transport system is the fastest and the most convenient way to travel around the city. Avoid the morning rush hour between 7:30am and 9am, as it is the time you do not “get” on, but rather “get packed” into the train cars. In general, both trains and subways run from around 5am to 1am. For train and subway maps, see Tokyo Railway Map or Yokohama Railway Map.

You can buy a prepaid fare card which you can use on trains, subways and buses in Tokyo and Yokohama. For further information, see “PASMO and Suica”.

Tokyo has an aboveground train system which is run mostly by JR East. The center of the system is the Yamanote Line, which loops around the city and links to all the major stations. The Chuo Line cuts across the Yamanote “loop”. Apart from JR East, there are other private train companies. Japanese trains are very punctual, and quite reasonably priced.

Phone: 050-2016-1603 | Hours: 10:00am-6:00pm

There are 13 subway lines including 9 Tokyo Metro lines and 4 Toei Subway lines. For ease of use, each station is coded with a letter and number. You will find these on platform signs and route maps.

Tokyo Metro (Tokyo Metro Co., Ltd.)                                    

Toei Subway & Bus
(Bureau of Transportation, Tokyo Metropolitan Government)

The ticket machines usually have a “switch to English” button on the screen. If you are not sure of the fare, buy the cheapest one, and then pay the difference at the fare adjustment machine located near the turnstiles at your final destination. (This only applies to non-express trains.)

• Single fare tickets
  Adults: 12yrs* and above / Children: 6yrs* and above
  (*varies among railway companies)
• Multiple single fare tickets (Kaisuken)
  Buy a set of 11 tickets of the same fare for the price of 10 tickets. You get more free tickets at off peak hours and on holidays.
• Commuter’s pass (Teiki)
  It is probably cheaper to buy a commuter’s pass if you have to go to work or school for more than 15 days a month. They are available in 1 month, 3 month or 6 month passes.

To work out the best route to your destination, use this website from a PC or your mobile phone.

Both are prepaid fare IC cards (Integrated Chip cards). They offer a convenient way to travel around Tokyo and many outlying areas because they can be used for trains, buses and subways. You simply need to tap the card over a card reader as you pass through the turnstiles at the station or on a bus. You can do this in a “touch and go” fashion. No longer do you have to stand at a ticket machine and try to figure out the fare each time you have to transfer to a new train, bus or subway line. Especially, since many of the fare charts are in Japanese. It is more convenient to just add money to your (one) card at the beginning of your trip and off you go.

Suica is issued by JR whereas PASMO is issued by private railway companies, but you can use both cards mutually on JR and private lines without any procedures. For details on the accepted areas/lines/stations, please refer to the railway company’s website.

Both of these cards are also accepted at shops, restaurants, some convenience stores and vending machines where the PASMO or Suica logos are shown, which can make purchases “on the go” faster and easier.

To purchase one of these cards, you will need to locate a ticket machine at a train/subway station with the PASMO or Suica logo shown. You can choose English instructions by touching the word “English” on the screen. You can charge your card from the amount of 1,000 Yen. A refundable 500 Yen deposit is required.

Here are some main popular passes for trains and subways.

One-day pass for JR trains running in the Tokyo Metropolitan District.
Price: Adults 730 Yen / Children 360 Yen

One-day pass for most trains, trams and buses in the Tokyo Metropolitan District.
Price: Adults 1,580 Yen / Children 790 Yen

This is a great deal for non-residents (foreigners on a “temporary visitor” status). It can only be purchased outside of Japan. The pass allows you to travel on any JR trains, including the bullet trains (except Nozomi), as much as you like during the specified period. The price varies depending on the duration of your pass and your seat class.

Allows one-day unlimited travel on all Tokyo Metro lines, and can be bought from the ticket machines.
Price: Adults 710 Yen / Children 360 Yen

Bargain tickets for tourists. They can only be purchased at Narita airport.
[Special 1-Day Open Ticket] (valid between the first and last trains on one specified date)
Price: Adults 600 Yen / Children 300 Yen
[Special 2-Day Open Ticket] (valid for two consecutive days (not 48 hrs.))
Price: Adults 980 Yen / Children 490 Yen

To provide a safe environment for women during the rush hours, JR, Subway and other train lines have clearly designated Women-only cars. During the specified hours, the only people allowed on the designated cars are women, boys and girls under 6th grade and disabled people along with their attendants, as long as one of them is a woman.

Riding on a bus has become convenient, now that you can use the PASMO or Suica card. Within Tokyo’s 23 wards, you can ride the green, Toei buses. You pay when you get on and the cost for one journey is 200 Yen. If you pay with your PASMO or Suica card and change buses within 90 minutes from the time you boarded the first bus, the fare for the second bus will be 100 Yen. The fare for the third bus will be 200 Yen again, and 100 Yen for the fourth bus.

Board from the front door and insert the fare into the machine next to the driver. Some machines automatically give change, however other machines will require you to make the change first using the same machine so that you can insert the correct amount. If in doubt, wait for the driver to show you. When you hear your stop announced, press the buzzer to notify the driver that you wish to get off.

For buses outside of Tokyo’s 23 wards, the cost will depend on the distance traveled. When you get on the bus, you get a ticket from the machine and when you get off, you pay according to what the electronic chart says in accordance to your ticket.

Taxi fares are calculated by distance and time. The start rate, usually around 710 Yen, is for roughly 1.5km to 2km, after which the fare goes up at approximately 100 Yen for every 300 to 500m. The fare is shown on the meter at the center of the dashboard. Late-hour fares (between 10pm and 5am) are usually 20% more expensive.

It is not customary to tip the driver. Taxi doors are opened and closed by the driver, so you should avoid doing this yourself. Most drivers do not speak English, so it is useful to have a map or business card with details (preferably in Japanese) of your destination.

All licensed taxis have green number plates. To catch a taxi, simply wave your hand. At night, available taxis will have the roof sign illuminated and by day a sign will be illuminated in the front window on the passenger side.

Tokyo

Kanagawa